This invention relates to a jack for a camper and, more particularly, to a camper which is removably supported on the bed of a pick-up truck. A jack typically is located at each of the four corners of the camper and includes a ram which normally is retracted a substantial distance above the ground so as to clear the ground during travel of the truck. When it is desired to remove the camper from the truck, the rams of the jacks are advanced downwardly into engagement with the ground and, when further actuated, effect lifting of the camper from the bed of the truck so that the truck may be driven outwardly from beneath the camper.
In a manually operated jack of the foregoing type, actuation of the ram is effected by turning a hand crank which acts through right-angled gearing to rotate a lead screw. The latter is threaded into a nut which is non-rotatably attached to the ram. When the screw is rotated, the nut travels upwardly or downwardly along the screw in order to retract or advance the ram.
Because the rams of the jacks are retracted a substantial distance above the ground during normal travel of the truck, a significant amount of time is required to crank the rams downwardly into contact with the ground during removal of the camper and before the rams actually lift the camper from the truck. As a result, removal of the camper is relatively time-consuming.